Shaheen, NH Municipal Leaders Highlight New Guidance for State & Local Funding COVID Relief

 

Shaheen highlights the flexibility of state and local relief funding awarded to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan

 

Later in Nashua: Shaheen Visits Southern New Hampshire Services Head Start location to Discuss Additional Support for Child Care in American Rescue Plan 

 

Shaheen tours a Southern New Hampshire Services Head Start location in Nashua, speaks with staff, Mayor Jim Donchess and child care advocates on the importance of supporting child care providers during the pandemic

(Manchester, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) hosted a press conference outside Manchester City Hall to discuss new guidance on how localities can utilize the more than $1.4 billion in state and local funding announced earlier this week by Shaheenthat New Hampshire will receive through the American Rescue Plan.During the event, Shaheen was joined by Mayors Joyce Craig of Manchester and Jim Donchess of Nashua, Londonderry Town Manager Kevin Smith and Strafford County Commissioner George Maglaras. 

“Over the past year, local governments across New Hampshire have been pushed near their breaking point as a result of the pandemic. Budget shortfalls have pummeled our towns, cities and counties, forcing local leaders to make impossible decisions under strapped revenues and skyrocketing expenses,” said Shaheen. “The fiscal crisis faced by many communities like Manchester, Nashua, Londonderry and our counties are why I fought to securerobust and flexible assistance for state and local governments through negotiations for the American Rescue Plan, and was glad to announce this week that $1.45 billion from this relief is headed to New Hampshire. This is funding that will help communities continue to provide essential services and avoid massive layoffs of essential personnel, as well as empower local leaders to respond to the unique local needs of their communities as they grapple with the fallout from this emergency. I’m committed to ensuring New Hampshire continues to receive the resources it needs to make our families and communities whole again.” 

As a result of the pandemic, local governments have faced increased costs and reduced revenues that threaten devastating cuts to basic services and lay-offs of essential personnel. In addition to helping local governments overcome severe budget shortfalls, the new funding includes greater flexibility to respond to unique local needs in communities across New Hampshire. Senator Shaheen’sleadership helped to secure this robust flexible assistance for state and local governments during negotiations with colleagues in the Senate and with the Biden administration. 

Under the flexible guidelines, state and local governments can use funding from the American Rescue Plan to: 

• Support public health expenditures 
• Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency 
• Replace lost public sector revenue 
• Provide premium pay for essential workers 
• Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure 

Later in Nashua, Shaheen visited a Southern New Hampshire Services Head Start location to highlight additional funding in the American Rescue Plan to support child care programs during the pandemic. Child care providers have been severely impacted by the fallout of the public health and economic crisis and many are at risk of permanent closure, threatening the state’s economic recovery and the ability of working families to fully return to work. Due in part to Shaheen’sleadership during negotiations for the American Rescue Plan, New Hampshire will receive more than $77 million in grants to provide relief for child care providers and support working families who need access to affordable child care, as well as $470,415 in federal grants to Head Start programs in New Hampshire, including Southern New Hampshire Services’ Head Start program. During the event, Shaheen was joined by child care advocates and Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess and discussed challenges the child care sector continues to face during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted how funding from the American Rescue Plan will help providers keep their doors open and support families. 

“Over the past year, New Hampshire’s child care sector has faced a serious fiscal crisis brought on by the severe impact of COVID-19. Their survival is critical for their own financial security, as well as the families who rely on them for child care. Access to affordable child care is a necessity for working Granite State families so they can return to work and for our economy to fully recover,” said Shaheen. “Addressing the child care crisis has been a top priority for me during this pandemic, which is why I worked to provide urgently needed federal relief in the American Rescue Plan for providers like Head Start so they can keep their doors open and continue to serve families. I thank staff for all they’ve done for Granite State kids and their families and will keep working in the Senate to ensure the long-term stability of our child care industry.”